TEUkonttiyksiköt

TEUkonttiyksiköt, often abbreviated as TEU, are a standardized unit of measurement used to describe the cargo capacity of ships and the dimensions of shipping containers. A TEU represents the volume of a standard intermodal container, which is 20 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 8.5 feet high. This standard allows for consistent calculation of shipping capacity across different vessels and container sizes.

While the TEU is based on the 20-foot container, larger containers are also commonly used in international trade. The most prevalent of these is the 40-foot container, which has double the volume of a 20-foot container. Consequently, a 40-foot container is equivalent to two TEUs. This relationship helps in understanding the total carrying capacity of container ships, which are typically measured in TEUs. For instance, a large container ship might have a capacity of 18,000 TEUs, meaning it can carry the equivalent of 18,000 twenty-foot containers.

The TEU system is crucial for the efficiency of global logistics and trade. It enables standardized pricing, scheduling, and handling of cargo worldwide. Ports and shipping lines use TEU figures to manage their operations, plan vessel movements, and allocate space. The development and widespread adoption of the TEU have been fundamental to the growth of containerized shipping, revolutionizing the way goods are transported across oceans.